A conventional braking means for application of braking force to a tape reel in the standard video tape cartridge of the VHS type is shown in FIG. 1. The tape cartridge contains a tape reel 2 having lower flange 2b and an upper flange for winding a recording tape therebetween, a braking arm 14 rotatably supported on a pivotal axis 7 having its free end portion 14a detachably engaged with toothed members 5 formed on the outer peripheral edge of the lower flange 2b and a resilient spring member (not shown) for exerting the braking arm 14 toward the lower flange 2b whereby when not in use, the braking arm 14 is biased toward the tape reel 2 so as to prevent rotation of the tape reel 2 by engagement of the free end portion 14a with one of the engaging teeth 5.
More specifically, when not in use, the end 20 of the braking arm 14 is abutted onto the bottom face 5a of the recessed portion between the two adjacent engaging teeth 5 with the rear surface 21 of the free end portion 14a contacted with the corner 5b of the engaging tooth 5.
In the braking arrangement mentioned above, the tape reel 2 is allowed to be displaced in the radial direction as shown by the phantom lines in FIG. 1 and the braking arm 14 prevents rotation of the tape reel 2 in the direction B for releasing the recording tape thrusting against the engaging tooth 5 of the tape reel. The thrusting force of the braking arm 14 prevents the braking member from releasing from the engagement of the engaging tooth 5. Under such a state, if the tape reel is displaced as shown by the phantom line it makes it difficult for the braking arm 14 to be released from the engaging tooth 5 since the thrusting force applied to the braking arm 14 increases.
Due to the above mentioned problem, the conventional tape cartridge has the disadvantage that when the tape cartridge is mounted on a tape player, a relatively large force is required for releasing the braking arm 14 from the engaging tooth in the direction shown by an arrow Q by a releasing member provided in the tape player, whereby the braking arm 14 tends to fail to disengage from the engaging tooth 5. If such failure occurs, the recording tape can not be drawn from the tape cartridge and the recording tape may be cut or unduly stretched accompanied by damage to the braking member in the worst case. If the worst case does not occur, the braking arm 14 and the related arrangement are subjected to an undesired stress, thereby resulting in damage to the braking arrangement.